


Mantellum operuit lux

by HPFandom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, Gen, Humor, M/M, Out of Character, Parody, Romance, Sexual Content, Slash sex, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-18
Updated: 2014-03-22
Packaged: 2018-09-30 10:27:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10161146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HPFandom_archivist/pseuds/HPFandom_archivist
Summary: A hidden truth. A cloaked inheritance. And an unknown ally. Severitus style with Snape as a father figure to Harry.Manipulative Dumbles and Ron bashing. May be LV/HP  later on but is to be decided.





	1. Licentia

**Author's Note:**

> Note from SeparatriX, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HP Fandom](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HP_Fandom_\(archive\)), which was closed for health and financial reasons. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HP Fandom collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hpfandom/profile).

Disclaimer: the Harry Potter universe is not mine I have no claim to it I just enjoy convoluting it on occasion. It actually belongs to JKR so that's unfortunate...

Enjoy...  
Chapter One: Licentia

Privet Drive 17th August 02:07 A.M.

Harry stumbled. It had never been this bad before. Usually his Uncle would just beat him to near death and leave him to crawl to the sanctuary of his cupboard. Never, had he thrown him outside by the collar of his already torn t'shirt like a stray, unwanted, unloved animal. Of course Harry knew that that was how his 'family' considered him. Like a dog. He hadn't known his real name was Harry until his first day of school; always having been called "BOY" or "FREAK" by his relatives.

His teeth were chattering and goosebumps were littering his barely clothed body. Harry knew that he would not be able to reach the safety of his cupboard. The one place in his relatives' house that he considered to be his home, and the one thing that kept Dumbledore's protective charms from falling. He had to consider the place home, and with his one home gone and unreachable; those protective wards came crashing around him. Of course nobody except him and the Great Headmaster Dumbledore knew this...

**********************************************************************************  
Dumbledore's office 17th August 02:08 A.M.

Sirens were blasting and miscellaneous silver instruments were whirring in a disorientating fashion. Alarms were going off left, right and centre throughout the expanse of the great wizard's chambers. The entire place had crashed from a blissful, eutopian silence into utter anarchy within mere seconds.

Albus Dumbledore hobbled out of his bed muttering curses under his breath whilst mindlessly sending off silencing charms on to all of his monitoring equipment. "What in the blazes of hell fire has that idiot boy managed to do to himself this time?" At two in the morning, even Dumbledore wasn't at his best and brightest. The wards monitor on Privet Drive however caught his eye almost immediately. It was broken in two as if to indicate 'Damn' he thought; the wards had fallen.  
His mind flew into a stage of panic. Dreadful scenarios flitting through his conscience, how had he been so unobservant as to possibly let his well molded tool; his most prized weapon, come to any harm, well any unplanned harm.

Calm he must be calm. "Call Severus. He can check on the boy, and if it's all fine I'm sure he'll knock some sense into that idiot child. And really he'll do the same even if everything's not." Oh how he'd enjoyed manipulating Severus like that, a little well payed money to his father to bash him around a bit during the summer, not unlike Potter really, and Snape had turned into his most formidable ally, willing to do whatever his bidding may be; except when it came to Potter. It was this alone that made him perfect to carry out this task.

Resolved as to what he had to do, Albus roughly grabbed the floo powder jar off of the mantel-piece and haphazardly thrust some into the roaring flames whilst declaring in a commanding voice "Severus Snape, Spinner's End" and then leaning back to wait for the response.

**********************************************************************************  
Prince Manor 17th August 02:47 A.M.

Severus couldn't sleep his mind simply kept flicking back and forth through nonsense seemingly unable to quieten and relax. He was used to this, but it didn't stop him from becoming increasingly irritated with his consciousness and wishing endlessly that sleep would just take him over. Even his usual night-mare plagued sleep was better than this prolonged and ardous torture in this awakened form. 

He was seriously considering retrieving a Dreamless Sleep potion when a house elf, dressed in blue satin with the Prince family crest enamoured in white on the left breast pocket, entered his sleeping chambers. "Mittzy is terribly sorry Master Snape but you have a floo call at Spinner's End house Sir. It is being from Mister Dumbledore Sir, and you is saying that you didn't want Mister Dumbledore to know about the Manor Sir, so Mittzy is telling Mister Dumbledore that I is to fetch you right   
away Sir."

Blast that bumbling fool of a Headmaster. What could he want at this convoluted time of day. "This had better be good." He growled as he stalked across his bed chambers, threw on a black button-up robe and proceeded to apparate to what Dumbledore thought was his home.

Of course he hadn't wanted Albus to know about Prince Manor, he'd have likely schemed his way into making it the permanent Head Quarters of the Order. No. Severus certainly did not want that to happen to his lovely manor house and so had persuaded the Headmaster that he did not own it and that it had passed to one of his distant cousins when his Grandparents had died. He'd only managed this because of the hatred portrayed by his Grandparents to him when in the company of the Headmaster. This had all been faked though, Severus in actual fact had gotten on like a house on fire with his Grandparents, no it was his father they had hated. They were still blood supremacists though liberal ones, but they couldn't bring themselves to accept their son-in-law who was a cynical bastard at best and an abusive drunk not even at his worst.

It was because of this that Severus was currently having to bounce between houses like a yo-yo to pander to his master's demands.

**********************************************************************************  
Spinner's End and Dumbledore's Office 17th August 02:52 A.M.

"Headmaster" Severus greeted cordially as he approached the fire side from the direction of the bedroom that he had just apparated into.  
"Severus" The Headmaster replied in his usual tone of business.  
"What has happened this time?" Snape asked exasperatedly, dreading the answer.  
"I'm afraid my dear boy that you're not going to like this. I need you to check on Harry, I believe that something drastic may have occurred and I need you as one of my most trusted, to check over the situation for me."

Severus knew that there was no way in this universe that he was going to be able to squirm his way out of this one, Albus had used that tone. The one that everyone dreaded. The one that made it sound like a request but really you knew that it was an order.

Resigned to his fate of having to go and check over the Potter brat Severus replied in the only way he knew how "Fine Headmaster but be warned I will not Mother him and if he has played this up you should know that I will not be impressed. I will be firm with the brat Albus, you of all should know this."  
"I do know that Severus and in fact I would expect nothing less of you. However I do not think that even Harry would be able to pull this off without something being wrong."

That sentiment made Severus all the more curious and he found himself asking "What has happened Headmaster?"  
"The wards have fallen." Dumbledore replied briskly and with that withdrew from the floo conversation.

"Shit" That was bad, really bad. Hurrying to check on the son of his childhood love, Severus draped a cloak around his person and apparated nearby to Privet Drive with a distinctive 'Pop'.

Thanks for reading guys! Comments are always appreciated and I'm going to try to be dedicated with this fic so you'll probably get an update around once a fortnight.


	2. hereditarium ex creatura

  
Author's notes: Harry's found by Severus. Start of Severitus and creature inheritance...  


* * *

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the HP universe...

Magnolia Crescent 02:54 A.M. 

Severus gathered his robes around him, sheltering himself from the biting cold of the night. The chilling winds caused the hems of his cloak to puff out making him appear as a spectre. He cursed the meddling old fool once more for good measure. Not even Potter should be able to make a big a mess of himself to deem Severus needed to be out in this weather. He steeled himself against the gale and purposefully strode around the corner and into Privet drive. 

As he stepped forebodingly closer to his destination, his enhanced smell picked up something he never thought he would have in his entire existence. Seraphim blood.  
Severus knew of course about the many rumours of his vampirism that circulated through the student body of Hogwarts and they weren't entirely false. No he wasn't a vampire. He was one of the Kerubim. One of the fallen. Contrary to many beliefs that they were 'cast out of heaven for following Lucifer' they weren't. They were born this way and were the offspring of a wizard and an Angel. They did however have vampiric characteristics and that of enhanced smell was what was driving him insane.

Tracing this heavenly scent, Severus found that it in fact came from his destination, 4 Privet drive. Of course it did he thought to himself and it just had to be Potter didn't it. Did he not have enough, the fame the fortune the adoring fans. No. He just had to have the honour of being a bloody Seraphim as well.

That however brought him out of his trance of hatred. Bloody Seraphim. It was the blood which had made him notice the scent. 'Oh immortals' he whispered, Potter was a Seraphim, Potter was bleeding, and the Angel inside of him was calling to Severus' Kerubim to save him. That was why he could smell it. That was why he had never thought Potter to be a Seraphim before during those tedious years spent teaching.   
Snape collected his thoughts and stalked to the door of No. 4 with a new vigour. He furiously rapped on the door, not caring that it was 3 in the morning. He kept knocking insistently until he heard a thundering down the staircase that sounded like a caged herd of elephants. The handle was turned and Severus saw a beach ball of a man with a beetroot red face standing in the doorway looking ready to explode. 

'Who the hell are you and what in the blazes of the seven hells are you doing here at this blasted time in the morning?' He demanded, trying to keep himself from roaring directly into the suspicious figure's face. 'Severus Snape, potions master of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. I'm here to check up on Mister Potter, as I am informed that an incident occurred here this evening and I must sort it out, so to speak.'   
Vernon Dursley's face was suddenly drained of all colour and when he spoke almost all syllables trembled with uncontrolled rage. 'There is no mister Potter here sir I don't know what you are t-talking about.' 

'Look Dursley' Severus calmly said whilst stepping round Vernon into the house 'You don't want to play this game. I'm done with pleasantries and I need to know where Potter is.'   
'I-I'm not scared of y-your type, you're all f-f-fre-eaks.' Vernon stammered.  
'Not scared are we? You really should be. You don't know who I am. What I am and What I am capable of Dursley. Now if I were you, I'd go fetch Potter right. this. second.' With this last threat he bared his fangs, just enough for Vernon to see them. 

With that warning Dursley scrambled to fetch the back door key and proceeded towards the glass french doors, out of which he could just see a huddled form of a boy, tucked beneath the hedges, where Harry had managed to drag himself to before he had seemingly collapsed. 

Severus had followed close behind Vernon when he had seen the general direction that the despicable muggle was headed. He had to stop himself from gasping in shock at seeing the body of the broken Seraphim. 

Once the door was unlocked and opened, Snape had shoved Vernon out the way and run over to the bushes where Harry was hidden. 'No. NO. This can't happen. Harry you can't die, don't die on me Harry, you're the second bloody Seraphim, you can't die on me now. They'll both kill me. Don't. You. Fucking. Die. On. Me. Now. Oh gods, oh gods no. Don't make me do this.'

Severus brought his ash grey wings to burst out from his shoulder blades and curl round him and his protegee. 'I'm sorry Harry. I'm sorry. You'll hate me for this I know but you can't die. Not now.' With this Severus pierced the jugular vein in Harry's neck and drained him, before pricking his own wrist and forcing his blood down Harry's throat and into his system. Bringing his change into a fully formed Seraphim forwards.

Pain laced through Harry's nervous system and his back arched upwards as he silently screamed for release. A single tear ran down his cheek as he begged for it to stop. Severus nearly gave in when Harry opened one of his emerald tear filled eyes and whispered 'Please' then closed it again, blacking out once more.

At this Severus turned, saw Vernon there and growled at him before apparating himself and Harry to Prince Manor. Dumbledore couldn't find out about Harry's true nature, only the god's knew what would happen if Albus found that his weapon was even more powerful than he'd expected.

Thanks for reading guys, hope the chapter was good and I'll try to update within the next fortnight... Please leave a comment, it always helps.


	3. Tenebras Angelorum

  
Author's notes: Harry wakes up, alone and in Severus' mansion...  


* * *

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the HP universe...

 

Darkness of Angels: Tenebras Angelorum  
Prince Manor 24th August 09:28 AM

He awoke with a start, he couldn't see anything, it was all blurred and shapeless. Reaching around he couldn't identify where he was, remembered being thrown out into the garden; being beaten within an inch of his life, by Vernon of course, he remembered dragging himself over to the bushes, the only safe enclosed area in the entire garden. 

Then he remembered there was something else, just as he was ready to fall asleep and let the magic heal him enough for the night, he remembered a tall dark figure, one that he could recognize. Tall, dark and foreboding. Excluding Voldie and Lucius Malfoy (and how they'd be able to break past Dumbledore's wards he had no idea), he could only think of one other that could make him cower in fear; Snape. If Snape had him at least he was safe, although simultaneously in mortal peril from Snape's unprecedented wrath.

Once again it hit him, the immense pain from last night, the burning, the flaming, the agonising destruction of his body. Harry almost winced in the memory of last night. But it wasn't just the beating that had caused him that much pain. No. Snape had done something to him as well, but what exactly had been done.

His hand had finally found where his glasses were and with practiced ease, Harry slid them on to his face and brought them to rest on the bridge of his nose. He had been laying on a rather plush beige bed with an oak frame and surrounded by plain cream walls. Harry located the door on the other side of the room pulled the duvet off of the bed, and noticing that thankfully he was clothed, headed over towards the exit of the room. 

As he reached the door handle, Harry was susprised to find that it was not locked but opened purely at his touch. The door swung out into an elaborately decorated corridor with long winding hallways, all lined with portraits of the predecessors of the owner of the apparent mansion. 

Smelling a gorgeous waft of what must have been breakfast, Harry turned left out of 'his bedroom' and proceeded along the corridor and down a grandees stairway leading at the far left of the open welcoming chamber to a lavish and well laid dining room. And of course Snape was sat at the head of the table looking expectantly at Harry. Well then, Harry thought, best get this over and done with shall we...

“Good morning Professor.” Harry intoned politely. Snape only held his hand up, gesturing for Harry to come and sit down but not to talk yet.

As Severus drained the last of his mug, Harry waited nervous for what was about to proceed, he was certain that Snape would send him to Dumbledore, then all that would happen would be that he would end up back at the Dursley's for 'his own safety'. Halting Harry's gradually panicking thoughts the professor began to speak.

“Apologies Potter, coffee is a necessity in the morning.”

“Um that's... that's fine Sir.”

“Perfectly eloquent as always Potter, glad to see that hasn't changed at least, one of the few things that hasn't.” This was said with a large smirk plastered across Severus' face, as if he knew (which of course he did) that Harry had no idea what 'changes Severus was talking about.

“Sir?”

“Well well well, it would seem that Draco's suspicions are confirmed, Harry Potter does indeed not look in the mirror before leaving his room for the day.” 

“And why exactly would I need to Sir?”Harry bit out coldly, attempting to restrain himself from doing anything that may give Snape a reason to kill him.

“Why of course Potter to see how much you've changed overnight.” With this Severus conjured a floor length mirror to stand directly in front of Harry.

Harry let out a gasp, he looked almost ethereal. He ran his hands over his pronounced cheek bones. Through his hair. Down his sides. And across his torso. Finally with a wrench to turn away he once again turned to look at Snape. But an entirely different man stood in front of him. Gone was the hooked nose. No longer did his have sallow skin, or yellow teeth, or hair greasy from standing over potions all day. No in front of him was a man with long sleek black hair, pulled back to the nape of his neck, standing proud and invigorated in front of him.

“Wha-”

“It's called a glamour Harry, this is what I look like.” Severus explained calmly, more calmly than ever in fact.

“Bu- what- what are you? Wait. What am I?” Harry was too shocked to even notice that the professor had called him by his name.

“ Second floor, there is a library situated there, I suggest that you take a leaf out of your mudblood's book and make good use of it.”

Harry was too shocked by the entire experience to think, but his body deemed it best to indeed turn heel and heed Severus' words.


	4. Inveniendi Inicimus

  
Author's notes: Discoveries in the Library  


* * *

Inveniendi Inicimus: 

 

Prince Manor 24th August 09:36

After traipsing through the halls to the grand staircase and ascending whilst still in a daze, Harry reached the massive oak doors that lead into a vast room, every wall was lined with books and Harry couldn’t help but wonder how Hermione would react to seeing this expanse. 

As Harry was wondering how on Earth he would be able to find a book in all of this he noticed a coffee table over to the far right of the room with a pile of books on top of it. Figuring that he may as well start his earch somewhere Harry slowly made his way over.

To his extreme suprise when he sat down, Harry caught sight of the title of the top book ‘Contemplations on the Angelic’ and flicking to the next : ‘Ecology of demonic creatures’. Thinking that maybe these books weren’t placed here coincidentally or that maybe Snape had put them there for him, Harry started perusing. 

‘An Introduction to Angels and the Cherubim.

To the chagrin of many of the world’s leading creature experts; the information concerning the habits and living of the angels is most difficult to obtain. Due to this the only knowledge that we as the Wizarding community have on this species is what has been told to us by the creatures themselves.

As it stands we know that these creatures can live amongst us without needing to reveal themselves to us for any purpose. A Cherubim or Angel will come into their inheritance around the night of their 17th birthday, by this time the creature’s body will have matured enough to withstand the change that will occur to their body and their magic. The creature will increase drastically in their magical abilities and are the only known beings to have a magical animagus form. Once the Cherubim has come into their inheritance, their magic is likely to start to search out another Angel as an acceptable mate for them-’

At this point Harry slammed the book shut “Oh Hells please don’t let Snape be my mate”

“Lucky day Potter I am indeed not your mate, thank the Gods for their mercy upon me.”

“Holy Shit! Where the hell did you come from? Actually scrap that, I’m assuming that you left these books here because I’m a Cherubim, and I’m also assuming that you are as well?”

“Astute as always Potter, and in fact you’re almost correct. However you are not a Cherubim as such. If you’d have read further on you would have come across the highest species of the Angels: the Seraphim.”

“Okay… What’s that mean for me then and what’s the whole matey thing about?”

“It means you are the strongest of the Angels and command over them. The Cherubim have been waiting for your coming for over three centuries for your arrival. And the ‘matey thing’ as you so eloquently put it, in your specific case means that you’re destined to bond to the second Seraphim, your mate.”

“But if you’ve been waiting for me all this time then that means that my mate surely hasn’t come yet doesn’t it? What will happen then?”

“Either of two things will happen, first your mate may have arrived but has not seen fit to inform the Cherubim of their being here; or secondly you may have to wait for them to arrive here, only the gods know how long that would take though.”

Although Harry was still a little unsure of all this he was currently placated with the information he had from Snape and so decided that he could change the direction of the conversation.

“How did you know that I needed help Sir?”

“First, as we are to spend this summer in each others company I think it may be best if you were to call me Severus whilst we are in private, the nature of what I have to teach you requires a certain degree of trust. Secondly to answer your question Dumbledore’s infernal tracking devices on you threw a fit when the wards around your relatives’ house collapsed so I was sent to fetch you.”

“Wait, so Dumbledore knows that I’m here? In your mansion? With you?”

“Not quite Pot-”

“Harry”

“Harry; the Headmaster knows that you are with me whilst you are recovering, he however thinks that you are with my at my hovel of a house at Spinner’s End. He is not aware of my possession of my family home and I would prefer for it to stay that way. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal Severus” Harry replied with a slight smirk “ I suppose you don’t want it to be used as the house of the flaming chickens then?”

“Indeed I’d rather not.”

“Best make sure that I don’t let it slip around Dumbles then shall I?”

“How generous of you Harry I’ll make sure to remember you in my will.”

 

Thanks for reading, please leave a review to help me improve at this malarky.


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